Two weeks ago, I introduced the first grade to Scratch Jr. for coding. Today I talked to them about using multiple characters and how to make them interact. We talked about when to use the Start when the Green Flag is pressed. And how it's like the start of a race. Everyone with that command starts when the Green Flag is pressed. I answered their questions and then let them continue to explore and create. Scratch Jr. is a drag and drop block coding environment where kids can snap together blocks to create animations and games. It's a fun and easy way to learn how to program. Students are able to come up with an idea and then create it by coding it. Through coding, they learn the importance of giving very specific instructions, in the proper sequence, and how to trouble shoot. They also do some critical thinking along the way. | You can download Scratch Jr from the App Store for free. There are two versions of Scratch Jr. - the original & one in collaboration with PBS Kids. They both work similarly, the PBSKids version has PBS Kids characters. Here's video that demonstrates PBS Kids version: |
Here’s a program that Luke created. He designed his own background and characters. You can see from his code that he used the: Start when the green flag is pressed, created custom audio recordings, used wait blocks to make the conversation work properly and move commands to make his characters climb. Nicely done!